Food For Runners (and intense exercisers)... shopping list

Stay Full Longer

Nothing ruins a marathon or even a mid-morning jog like hunger pangs. However, you also don’t want to have a cramp in your stomach because your body isn’t sure if it should be sending blood to digest your food or power your muscles. The answer? Eat an hour before you go on a run, and eat foods that keep you fuller longer. Grains keep you full longer so you can tack on that extra mile before lunch time. Try these an hour before putting on that spandex:

Oatmeal

Dark Bread

Quinoa

Buckwheat Pasta

Whole Wheat Pasta

Regular Pasta

Support Your Muscles

Omega-3

Fish is filled with healthy muscle-supporting protein and contains Omega-3’s that are essential for cell membrane health. So maybe you should skip the popcorn Shrimp or Fish Sticks, but you definitely get as much of these in your diet:

Shrimp

Crab

Salmon

Mackerel

Sardines

Cod

Tuna

Not a fish person? Other great sources of muscle-building protein are:

Lean Roast Beef

Chicken

Turkey

Lamb

Potassium

You lose potassium when you sweat. While your pores are doing the grunt work, enjoy some of these potassium doozies:

Apricots

Bran Wheat

Raisins

Wheatgerm

Figs

Currants

Nuts

Seeds

Baked Potato

Plantains

Muesli

Sardines

Veal

Bananas

Heal Your Muscles Post Workout

Did you know you get injured every time you run? So to speak. The reason muscles get stronger and grow bigger is because you are creating tiny tears in them during your workouts. During the post-workout recovery time, they heal into strong more resilient muscles with the help of Vitamin C and Protein.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps repair tissues and the Micro-Injuries you suffer on every run. You may not be reaching for the aspirin just yet, but keep it that way by eating these foods:

Strawberry

Orange

Kiwi Fruit

Clementine

Grapefruit

Raspberries

Nectarines

Mangoes

Peppers

Spring Greens

Brussels Sprouts

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Tomato

Green Cabbage

Potatoes

Eat like a baby. Milk protein is easily absorbed by the body, that’s why we give babies milk when they are too young for a steak dinner. Follow their lead by getting a good dose of dairy daily with these foods:

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